My Modern Zen 2-Room 35sqm (Type 1) HDB BTO Apartment Renovation Journey

[RyanYTH 87]

Blog Entry Date: 26th November 2018 Monday
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One Year Retrospective 1/5 - Walk-In Wardrobe

If you have been following this blog, you would have known that I have converted my existing HDB Bomb Shelter into a Walk-In Wardrobe. 
One year later, it is still working beautifully and I personally do not regret my decision converting it. 

My Thoughts after 1 year:

- If you are a little open-minded and don't mind a little stuffiness, I would still highly recommend anyone
(Especially 35sqm owners) who need extra space to do this. Do keep the door open for better ventilation.

- Converting a Storeroom to a Walk-In Wardrobe will of course mean you will have less space to store larger items.
Do take note of this if item storage is a higher priority for you. Although personally, I feel this allows me to declutter better.

- I have mentioned it in my earlier blog entry already but if your Bomb Shelter is near your Main Door like mine is, simply opening the door will block 80%
of the view giving you more privacy if you decide to open your Main Door for better ventilation. You wont need to build any additional partition.

- In addition to the Walk-In Wardrobe, I also installed the Slidearm Door Holder for my Main Entrance Door and
I'm happy to report that it still works very well after 1 year. No issues encountered whatsoever, and I also highly
recommend installing this if you don't mind spending abit of money for a more elegant door stopper.

One Life Hack I've noted for the HDB Main Door:
If your Main Door is using this model, you can get your Pizza from the delivery man without opening your Main Gate thru this slot.
LOL! Someone at HDB must like Pizza enough to include such a feature 

This concludes my thoughts and views for my Walk-In Wardrobe after using it for 1 year.
I hope this information helps you in planning for yours. 

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One Year Retrospective 2/5 - Kitchen

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Edited December 3, 2018 by ryanyth

[RyanYTH 87]

Blog Entry Date: 3rd December 2018 Monday
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One Year Retrospective 2/5 - Kitchen

My Kitchen is one of the sections that I'm MOST PROUD of in my apartment.
To see it transform from its original dull HDB look to its current form was really amazing.
Sorry abit messy yah 

 

It may be very small compared to most other HDB kitchens, but being an avid cook myself,
I find it very well equipped enough to deal with most cooking tasks that I throw at it. 
Below are just some of the dishes I've made using this small kitchen. (Shameless Plug) 

OMG I love my kitchen so much!! 



My Thoughts after 1 year:

- After extensively cooking for 1 year, I still feel that a Cooking Exhaust Hood is not necessary.
Unless you have very specific or special needs, I don't recommend installing one in my opinion. 

- The integrated Dining Table not only works as a Dining Table, it is also very useful when I need to put down my groceries
to lock the Main Door when I return from the Supermarket. If you are designing for your own home, I would recommend
to install something similar near your Main Door if you do grocery shopping.

- One thing I wished I done was to somehow design my Kitchen so that my cooking area is right next to my Kitchen Sink.
Anyone who cooks will know it is very important to have the sink at an easy reach to wash while cooking.
My current design needs me to turn around instead. Its not that bad, just a mild inconvenience for me. 

- Having an Induction Cooktop is a very good idea. Its safe, easy to clean, and looks very nice.
The only drawback is that I cannot cook Claypot Dishes or dishes that need open flame.  Also, unless you are
cooking for alot of people and need to juggle multiple dishes at once, 2 Cooktop Rings are good enough. 

- For anyone who has an interest in cooking, an Oven is a very good investment if you have the space.
You can do so many interesting dishes with it. If you do buy one though, try to plan your oven positioning so that you can open
it while standing up instead of having the Oven on the ground like how I did where I have to squat down just to take my dish.

- Don't buy an Oven however if you don't see yourself using it often. One disadvantage of installing an Oven for a small kitchen
like mine is that you have to sacrifice storage space. Luckily I work around this issue by having a Kitchen Trolley which can both
act as extra storage and extra workspace. In fact, a Kitchen Trolley is so useful, I feel every Kitchen should have one! 

- Some people may feel that the area I have in the Kitchen for storing my Bicycle is a waste of space that I can utilize for
more storage, but I feel otherwise. I like how it adds an additional design element to my Kitchen and give it a more
interesting look. Plus, its really convenient to just park it there whenever I come back from riding as its so near the Main Door.
Of course its up to your preference whether this suits you or not.

- Having a Top-Loading Washing Machine was very good for me. While it may use more water than a
Front-Loading one, I don't have to squat down to get my laundry. Still, this is a personal preference.

- The default HDB Laundry Rack is very functional, you don't have to spend extra money
to get any other fancy laundry racks. Indoor Drying works perfectly fine, at least for me.

- Instead of permanent shelves, look online for alternate ways and methods for storage.
You will be amazed at how many varieties there are and how much cheaper they can be.

- Don't rush off and buy shelves to install just because they look nice. Buy only what you need.
If you cook, you yourself will know where are the best placements for shelves. If you don't cook
but is just buying shelves for decoration, feel free to splurge. 

- If your kitchen cabinets do not reach all the way to the ceiling, you will need to take the time
to wipe clean to prevent dust from settling. On the plus side, this area can be used for some decoration.

This concludes my thoughts and views for my Kitchen after using it for 1 year.
I hope this information helps you in planning for yours. 

Click Here for the Next Blog Entry: 
One Year Retrospective 3/5 - Bathroom

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Edited December 10, 2018 by ryanyth

[RyanYTH 87]

Blog Entry Date: 10th December 2018 Monday
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One Year Retrospective 3/5 - Bathroom

It has always been my dream to have my very own Bathtub in my own home and enjoy a nice relaxing soak after a long workday. So you can imagine my disappointment when I found out that my bathroom is simply too small to hold a bathtub...sigh. 

Oh well...on the brighter side, at least that means I won't have to deal with a super high water bill every month. 

1 year later, I am still happy with how my bathroom looked and functioned
despite not having a Bathtub. Everything still holds up very well. 



 



My Thoughts after 1 year:

- Having a Dark Coloured Bathroom really does feel very classy compared to a standard HDB Bathroom
although it still boils down to personal preference. I personally find that stains aren't as prominent on a
Dark Coloured Bathroom as compared to a Lighter Coloured Bathroom. 

- Having Sandpaper Rough tiles for the Wet Area was a VERY GOOD IDEA to prevent accidental slips.
In this 1 year, never have I ever once slipped. Cleaning isn't as troublesome as you may think, but you
do have to put in a little effort to mop it. Also due to how rough it is, your mop might wear out faster.

- Unless your design calls for it, the default HDB toilet bowl is good enough,
you don't have to change it. I never had any problem with mine.

- There is no need to install Warm White lights in a Bathroom if you are on a tight budget as Cool White are good enough.
I honestly seldom use them, but they do enhance the look, making a Dark Coloured Bathroom look even classier lol. 

- Do ensure you have space allocated to put pails away. No point taking the effort to design a nice bathroom only to
have no space to store your pails and having them look so out of place. My pails are stored under the Vanity counter
as shown below. I cannot use the typical standard bathroom water pails so I have to use low profile basins instead. 

- After using Grohe for 1 year, I personally feel it is nothing special.
In fact, as you have read in my previous blog entry when I first installed it,  I was very disappointed that the default
HDB Shower Head produced a stronger water pressure compared to a Grohe Shower Head.

- That said, if you want stronger water pressure, Storage Tank would definitely be a better choice than Instant Heaters.
If you are a 2 roomer, 20L capacity Storage Tank would be more than enough for a single person.
The Ariston Andris Slim 20 I got worked great. If your bathroom can fit one, I highly recommend it.
(Do check with your ID though, I have folks who PMed me that their Bathroom couldn't fit it for some reason.)

This concludes my thoughts and views for my Bathroom after using it for 1 year.
I hope this information helps you in planning for yours. 

Click Here for the Next Blog Entry: 
One Year Retrospective 4/5 - Living Room

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Edited December 30, 2018 by ryanyth

[mmoh 66]

On 11/21/2018 at 5:34 AM, ryanyth said:

I notice the way you hang your clothes, with the hanger's opening facing out, which is the total opposite of what I have been doing. Isn't it easier to hang it the opposite way?

I like that once shelter door open will block the way for privacy, for better ventilation in the shelter too.

We share the same metal gate design... which I find it troublesome to clean... >_<

btw, your kitchen is bigger than mine...

[RyanYTH 87]

On 12/11/2018 at 3:54 PM, mmoh said:

I notice the way you hang your clothes, with the hanger's opening facing out, which is the total opposite of what I have been doing. Isn't it easier to hang it the opposite way?

Erm...does it matter how the clothing is hanged?  I also anyhow hang as I like lol.
Maybe is how I hanged it when i first got my clothes out from the washer to dry.

I like that once shelter door open will block the way for privacy, for better ventilation in the shelter too.

Yup i liked this feature too

We share the same metal gate design... which I find it troublesome to clean... >_<

tbh, you're the only person I know who actually cleans their front metal gate lol. 
I normally maybe just give it a simple wipe down during CNY spring cleaning and leave it be for the whole year lol.

Interesting that you brought it up though.
I wonder how do the rest of the 2 roomers clean their house.
Cleaning for me is just Half-Hour vacuum whole house + Half-Hour moping the floor + 1 hour clean toilet + use wet cloth wipe nooks and crannies. Total i'll use about 2 hours++

And i do it like only once a week on a weekday. If I got friends planning to come visit, I'll do an extra round of this cleaning routine 1 day before they come.

btw, your kitchen is bigger than mine...

Huh? I thought you're a 45sqm owner?
I thought my kitchen is already the smallest you can find in singapore lol. 
When i first saw it, my heart sank like a rock lol

 

Edited December 12, 2018 by ryanyth

[Studio45 2]

 Thanks for the updates on your T-blog @ryanyth. 

Wow!!!  Been a year already, so glad that you and @mmoh and @andotang are still active in this forum and sharing.

Wondering how's @RuFus58 doing ?  How's her Reno, etc... 

 

[dexufto 5]

On 11/14/2017 at 7:15 AM, andotang said:

Did you tested it with the heater on? I also had grohe and if the heater is not on, the water is weaker as some water from the hot pipe is not pumping out. Even when water heater is on, if water not hot, the pressure also weak, only if water in the heater is hot, the pressure is good on grohe.  But also depend on the mixer you have on how the hot and cold water is mixed. I can only say after using for sometime as i also experience weak water pressure that I found out heater must be on and water must be hot to give good pressure. Only for storage heater, not instant heater. also shower head also have option to turn, if set to rainshower, water is weaker as it try to simulate water droplet effect, have to set to normal spray to get better jet. mine also have a jet setting which spray something like your bidet spray. I am using the Euphoria 180 as attached below which have this problem.

People who visited my house have no idea how to turn on the water from this mixer at all, which I have no idea too initially,. Right knob, turn up or down to adjust water temperature. choosing all cold here will bring up water pressure if heater is off. Left knot turn up for rain shower and down for front tap, and lift the button at front tap to begin hand shower. The right knob is good as it fixed the water temperature at the way you wanted it everytime, unlike those 1 level type of mixer where you agar agar know where is your comfortable position.

Well the only complaint i have is it's so tough to keep those shine on stainless steel equipments, keep getting water mark, need to buy a lot of $2 magic spoonge from daiso.

 

The grohe/hansgrohe are good quality stuffs which i have no regrets purchasing.

its still bright and shiny and silky smooth after 8 years of use.

[RyanYTH 87]

20 hours ago, Studio45 said:

 Thanks for the updates on your T-blog @ryanyth. 

Wow!!!  Been a year already, so glad that you and @mmoh and @andotang are still active in this forum and sharing.

Wondering how's @RuFus58 doing ?  How's her Reno, etc... 

 

Hey thanks for your support man
Actually i'm gonna end my blog soon with my final updates
tho I will still be around to help answer questions as best as I can.
I'm also wondering how is Rufus58 doing. I haven't been in contact with her, hope she comes Renotalk to visit lol 

 

10 hours ago, dexufto said:

The grohe/hansgrohe are good quality stuffs which i have no regrets purchasing.

its still bright and shiny and silky smooth after 8 years of use.

Hey I'm glad it worked for you. Personally I still feel its not worth to pay a premium
for having personally seen how it performed against HDB's own shower head.

Edited December 16, 2018 by ryanyth

[RyanYTH 87]

This is for you @mmoh
If you ever find cleaning the main door gate troublesome,
why not remove the whole gate like what a resident of my estate did in the attached image. 

Personally, i think this really compromise the safety of your home
and I don't recommend it at all, but hey whatever floats his boat lol. 

What do ya'll think folks?
Would you dare to remove the main gate of your home like this? 

Edited December 16, 2018 by ryanyth

[mmoh 66]

no no no, will never remove the metal gate. I just want a simple design metal gate so that it is easier to clean...

[RyanYTH 87]

2 hours ago, mmoh said:

no no no, will never remove the metal gate. I just want a simple design metal gate so that it is easier to clean...

Hahaha ya, removing the metal gate is so dangerous lol.
Without a metal gate barrier, all it takes for an intruder is to just knock on your door,
and when you answer the door, suddenly forcibly push your door open,
and they have access to your apartment already. 

[Salsationlover 1]

Hi Ryanyth, 

Its very enjoyable to read up the house reno blog u have done. I would like to enquire if the moveable kitchen trolley is able to withstand some heavy weight appliances (ie: rice cooker, microwave oven, etc..). M planning to get one due to countespace limitation in the kitchen.

I also saw that u did half shower screen for the bathroom. Does the other area still being kept dry? 

[hdb4ever 3]

7 hours ago, ryanyth said:

Hahaha ya, removing the metal gate is so dangerous lol.
Without a metal gate barrier, all it takes for an intruder is to just knock on your door,
and when you answer the door, suddenly forcibly push your door open,
and they have access to your apartment already. 

Lol maybe he is using a door chain for his door? I remember the rental flat I lived in as a child had one, so we could open the door partially when talking to unfamiliar visitors.

Personally I find the gate design at your place not too bad for cleaning - it's all basically horizontal and vertical bars. I am only now starting to regret the leaf patterned design on mine 

I also want to thank you for the very detailed postings about your place before, during and now even post-renovation. While I eventually decided not to get a 2-room flat, I found many nuggets of wisdom and have thoroughly enjoyed reading and re-reading everything you have posted. 

[RyanYTH 87]

7 hours ago, Salsationlover said:

Hi Ryanyth, 

Its very enjoyable to read up the house reno blog u have done. I would like to enquire if the moveable kitchen trolley is able to withstand some heavy weight appliances (ie: rice cooker, microwave oven, etc..). M planning to get one due to countespace limitation in the kitchen.

I also saw that u did half shower screen for the bathroom. Does the other area still being kept dry? 

Thanks for your support! 
Ya the Kitchen trolley is very sturdy. In this picture you can see that I use it to hold my rice cooker, air fryer, a small cake mixer and other barang barang. 
And ya the other side of bathroom with the vanity mirror is very dry, never kena any water before. The glass panel protected the cabinet very well. 

4 hours ago, hdb4ever said:

Lol maybe he is using a door chain for his door? I remember the rental flat I lived in as a child had one, so we could open the door partially when talking to unfamiliar visitors.

Personally I find the gate design at your place not too bad for cleaning - it's all basically horizontal and vertical bars. I am only now starting to regret the leaf patterned design on mine 

I also want to thank you for the very detailed postings about your place before, during and now even post-renovation. While I eventually decided not to get a 2-room flat, I found many nuggets of wisdom and have thoroughly enjoyed reading and re-reading everything you have posted. 

Hmm from how the picture looks like, it doesn't look like he put door chain. Really abit crazy to remove the whole metal gate lah i feel lol 
Anyway thank you for your support, I'm glad it has helped you even if it was a little bit

Edited December 17, 2018 by ryanyth

[RyanYTH 87]

Blog Entry Date: 17th December 2018 Monday
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One Year Retrospective 4/5 - Living Room

Didn't do much renovations for the Living Room, and its still pretty much the same 1 year later. 

 



My Thoughts after 1 year:

- 55 Inch TV for me was perfect for viewing. Watching movies was really a joy! 
Couple this with a good Sofa that you can lean back, this was really very comfortable indeed!  

- A Soundbar works surprisingly very well for Audio. In my original plans, I had wanted to fit a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system.
If you are not particularly fussy about audio quality, I would recommend using a Soundbar if you want a more minimalist look.

- The 18000BTU Daikin Smile Aircon at the Living Room worked very well in cooling
the whole house even if I left the Kitchen Windows open. I have no regrets buying it. 

- The Cove Lighting / Ceiling L-Box I installed is seldom used and I felt I could have saved some money if I did not install it. 

- Same with the changing tone Downlights. I almost always use Cool White and very seldom the other colours lol.
I could have saved some money by using a normal standard downlight. 

- One thing I regretted for my Living Room was choosing OCS components from HDB.
While I'm ok with the white tiles given by HDB, but I'm not exactly happy about the wooden skirting that surrounds it.
I mean its fine and all, but personally I feel the wooden colour did not gel very well with my overall primarily black and white look for my apartment.
I've since gotten used to it being around, but I wish I had removed or replaced it with something that gels alot better with the rest of my apartment.

- I'm not a Botany expert, but if you want to buy indoor plants for decoration, I highly recommend easy maintenance
plants such as "Snake Plant" (Sansevieria Trifasciata) or "Spider Plant" (Chlorophytum Comosum).

"Snake Plant" is especially good to keep in the Bedroom because apparently they give out Oxygen during Nighttime.
The Plants I mentioned act as natural air purifiers and don't need much work to keep them alive.

They also don't shed much leaves and are easy to maintain. IKEA do sell them at a reasonable price (Around $5.90) so you might want to check them out. (Do take note if you have pets though, because these plants may be harmful to them.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If anyone is interested, below was a guide I posted previously on how to do a quick and dirty style
of hiding the TV Cables so they hang at the side instead of in the middle.

Step 1:
I first used some cable ties to bunch up the cables and try my best to slot them as deep as I can into the TV.


Step 2:
At the side of the TV, I stick a 3M hook to hold the cables as they come out and dangle to the side.


Step 3:
To cover up the cables that are dangling vertically from the hook, I will use my curtain to try and hide them like this.


At certain angles like the below image, if the curtains do their job, the dangling cables cannot be seen.
There are other much better ways to hide your cables of course, and this method I have shown is just a quick and dirty way to do it. 
I find it just a tad neater for the cables to dangle at the side as compared to having them dangle right in the middle of the TV.


This concludes my thoughts and views for my Living Room after using it for 1 year.
I hope this information helps you in planning for yours. 

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One Year Retrospective 5/5 - Bedroom

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Edited December 30, 2018 by ryanyth